The originals are full size watercolor illustrations on Bristol board, created by Elizabeth Coxe McMurtry and her sisters to illustrate the unpublished second edition of their father’s book.

It is possible these images were painted circa 1817-1831, making them some of the earliest known color pomological illustrations of American fruits. An 1857 article in Country Gentleman magazine describes the watercolor illustrations in detail, indicating they were executed prior to that date.